PaleoMoz Project: new fossils from Mozambique and South Africa help elucidate the origins of endothermy

The origins of endothermy (warm-bloodedness) have been one of the most challenging problems of paleontology and biology, because there are confounding lines of evidence. Some indications coming from stable isotopic geochemistry point that some dicynodonts (mammal forerunners) were endotherms. We aim to use propagation-phase contrast microtomography from the BM05 beamline to obtain high-quality scans of the skulls of newly found dicynodonts from Mozambique to help elucidating their semicircular canal morphology. Semicircular canal morphology adapted to elevated body temperatures because inner ear endolymph viscosity increases exponentially with temperature. Additionally, the skulls of some basal anomodonts and a gorgonopsian (respectively the consecutive sister groups to dicynodonts) will serve as contrasting endpoints. Our project will also serve as a foundation to support the PhD thesis of the Mozambican student Zanildo Macungo, under the PaleoMoz Project.